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RECORD. 


FINANCE  —  RAILROAD  LEGISLATION  —  TAXATION- 
ECONOMY  IN  EXPENDITURES  —  DEMOCRATIC 
EXTRAVAGANCE  ILLUSTRATED— REPUB¬ 
LICAN  INTEGRITY  PROVEN. 


Within  a  brief  period,  the  people  of  a  majority  of  the  States  will  be  called  upon  again 
to  record  their  verdict  upon  the  principles  and  policy  of  the  Republican  party,  arid 
to  decide  whether  they  prefer  its  continuance  in  power  to  the  restoration  of  the  party 
which  for  nearly  forty  years  proved  itself  false  to  its  trusts,  and  finally  rose  in  rebel¬ 
lion  to  destroy  the  Union. 

Members  of  Congress  are  then  to  be  elected  in  place  of  those  whose  official  lives 
will  end  on  the  4th  of  March  next.  The  result  of  that  choice,  and  the  election  of 
State  officers,  will  determine  whether  the  people  are  mainly  satisfied  with  the  record 
of  Congress  and  the  Administration  during  the  past  year,  or  prefer  to  entrust  the 
Government  once  more  to  those  who  for  so  many  }rears  labored  to  overthrow  it  and 
build  upon  its  ruins  a  new  confederacy. 

To  aid  them  in  making  up  a  fair  and  impartial  verdict  on  the  questions  involved 
in  the  issue  before  them,  it  is  proposed  to  present  a  candid  and  just  comparative 
review  of  the  measures  and  principles  of  the  two  parties  as  illustrated  by  their 
political  and  official  acts,  and  especially  by  their  votes  on  vital  public  questions. 
A  proper  introduction  to  this  record  will  be  a  brief  review  of  the  action  of  the  last 
Congress  on  the 

BACK  FAT  AN1)  SALARY  INCREASE  BILL 


of  its  members,  and  on  the  question  of  its  repeal  by  the  present  Congress.  This 
extraordinary  measure,  or  the  back  pay  feature  of  it.  it  is  only  just  to  state,  ha x  not 
received  the  approval  of  the  people.  It  may  also  be  justly  asserl^d  that  neither 
party  is  alone  responsible  for  it,  though,  if  as  large  a  proportion  of  the  Democratic 
members  as  of  the  Republican  had  voted  against  the  bill  it  would  have  been  defeated, 
as  the  following  analysis  v,rill  show.  The  salaries  provided  by  this  act  were  : 


The  President . 

The  Vice  President . 

Chief  Justice  Supreme  Court . . 

Justices  Supreme  Court,  each . 

Cabiuet  officers . 

Assistant  Secretaries  of  the  Treasury,  State,  and  Interior . . 

%  Speaker  of  the  House,  after  tne  present  Congress .  . 

1  Senators,  Representatives,  and  Delegates, including  the  then  present  Congr?—. 


$00,000 
10  600 
10,600 

> 

10,000 
5.0G0 
10,000 
7 , 500 


o 


ANALYSIS  OF  THE  VOTE. 

Senate — For  the  Bill. 

Of  the  yeas,  thirteen  are  Democrats  or  Liberal  Republicans,  being  five  more  than 
the  majority  for  the  bill. 

Ten  were  outgoing  Senators,  being  one  more  than  the  majority  for  the  bill. 

hive  outgoing  Republicans  and  live  outgoing  Democrats  voted  for  the  bill. 

Twenty-three  Republicans  and  thirteen  Democrats  voted  for  the  bill 

Iwenty-six  Southern  Senators  and  ten  Northern  Senators  voted  for  the  bill. 

Against  the  Bill. 

Twenty-one  Republicans,  six  Democrats,  three  Southern  Senators,  twenty-four 
Northern  Senators,  two  outgoing  Senators  only,  twenty-tive  Senators  whose  terms 
continue. 

It  will  be  seen  that  though  there  are  more  than  twice  as  many  Republicans  as 
Democrats  and  Liberals  in  the  Senate,  more  than  half  the  votes  for  the  bill  were 
Democrats — that  is,  Republicans  23,  Democrats  and  Liberals  13. 

HOUSE. 

3n  the  House  of  Representatives  the  vote  was  as  follows  : 

For  the  Increase — 102. 

Fifty-two  Republicans,  fifty  Democrats;  fifty-five  outgoing  members’;  twenty-four 
Southern  Republicans,  thirty  Southern  Democrats. 

Against  the  Increase — 95. 

Sixty-two  Republicans,  thirty-three  Democrats. 

The  united  vote  in  the  two  Houses  is  as  follows : 

AGGREGATE  VOTE. 

For  the  Bill. 

Seventy  five  Republicans,  sixty-three  Democrats ;  sixty-five  outgoing  members 
and  Senators;  eighty  Southern  Senators  and  members. 

Against  the  Bill. 

Seventy-three  Republicans,  thirty-nine  Democrats. 

The  Democratic  vote  in  the  House  on  the  bill  was  within  two  of  the  Republican 
vote,  though  they  were  largely  in  the  minority.  They  could  easily  have  defeated  the 
measure,  as  the  Republicans  might,  and  each  must  bear  an  equal  share  of  whatever 
odium  attaches  to  it  it  is,  therefore,  dishonest  and  fraudulent  for  the  Democrats 
to  seek  to  hold  the  Republican  party  solely  responsible  for  the  passage  of  the  salary 
bill. 

That  no  injustice  maybe  done  the  Democratic  party  in  holding  its  Representatives 
equally  responsible  with  Republicans  for  this  obnoxious  measure,  we  will  quote 
their  vote  for  Speaker  of  the  present  C-ongress.  Their  candidate  for  that 
honor  was  Fe/nando  Wood,  of  New  York,  who,  though  he  dodged  the  vote, 
accepted,  pocketed,  and  kept  the  $5,000  of  back  pay. 

The  following  is  the  vote  of  the  Democratic  members  of  the  House  for  Mr.  Wood 
as  Speaker : 

DEMOCRATIC  ENDORSEMENT  OF  RACK  PAY. 

Whole  number  of  votes  cast,  269  ;  necessary  to  a  choice,  135  ;  of  which — 


James  Q.  Blaine  received . . . . . . . 189 

Fernando  Wood  received . . . . . . .  70 

S.  S.  Cox  received . . . . . . .  2 

Heister  Clymer  received... . . .  1 

Alexander  H.  Stephens  received . . . . .  i 


o 

o 


The  following  is  the  Democratic  vote  • 

For  Mr.  Wood — Messrs.  Adams,  Atkins,  Archer,  Arthur,  Ashe,  Barber.  Beck, 
Bell,  Barry,  Blount,  Bowen,  Bright,  Brown,  Buckner,  Caldwell,  John  B.  Clark, 
Clyrner,  Comingo,  Cook.  Crittenden,  Crossland,  Davis,  DeWitt,  Durham,  Eden, 
Eldridfre,  Gidding,  Hamilton,  Hancock,  Henry  It.  Harris,  John  ri’.  Harris,  Here¬ 
ford,  Herndon,  Hunton,  Kendall,  Knapp,  Lamar,  Lamison,  Leach,  Magee,  Marshall, 
McLean,  Milliken,  Mills,  Mitchell,  Morrison,  Nesmith,  Niblack,  O’br.en,  Hosea 
W.  Parker,  Perry,  Potter,  Randall,  Rawls,  Read,  Robbins.  W.  R.  Roberts,  James 
C.  Robinson,  Scbuinaher,  Sloss,  Southard,  Speer,  Standeford,  Stephens,  Stone, 
Storm,  Swann,  Vance,  Waddell,  Wells,  Whitehead,  Whitthorr.e,  Winchester,  Ephraim 
K.  Wilson,  John  D.  Young,  and  P.  M.  B.  Young — 76. 

For  Mr.  Cox — Messrs.  Holman  and  Whitehouee — 2. 

For  Mr.  Stephens — Mr.  Bland — 1. 

For  Mr.  Olymer — Mr.  Creamer— 1. 

Total  vote — 80. 


KAIIJaOAI)  LECOf- LATI  ON 


A N D  TRA NS PC'RTATION 


MONOPOI/ffJS. 


No  question  before  the  country  Involves  more  intricate  ssues.  The  »  ght  of 
private  "property,  vested  interests,  chartered  powers,  are  claimed  as  on  one  side; 
and  on  the  other  are  the  rights  of  the  producing  classes,  especially  those  engaged  in 
agriculture,  upon  whom  rates,  virtually  amounting  to  a  tax  for  private  and  opr  do  rate 
profit,  are  levied,  often  of  an  exorbitant  character  and  frequently  accompanied  by 
regulations  that  are  unjust  and  oppressive.  There  are  also  the  issues  of  soverr.  gnty — 
the  right  of  regulation,  control,  even  ownership — which  it  is  claimed  grow  alike  out 
of  the  primal  right  of  “eminent  domain, ’’  the  common  law,  the  constitutional 
power  to  regulate  inter-State  commerce,  and  that  indefinable  brood  of  powers  which 
arise,  it  is  claimed, from  the  fact  that  the  ‘"vested  rights”  to  be  pleaded  and  defended, 
are  all  the  result  of  franchises  granted  to  private  persons  cr  companies  fer  the  p  blic 
benefit. 

It  is  but  wise  and  statesmanlike  for  politicians  and  public  men  to  move  slowly  in 
directions  involving  such  issues  and  consequences.  The  Republican  party  has  not 
evaded  or  avoided  the  issue.  It  has  not  rushed  blindly,  however,  to  declare  an 
infallible  plan,  but  has,  on  the  contrary,  deliberated  on  the  wisest  course — not  pro¬ 
posing,  as  the  Democracy  do,  in  Congress  as  well  as  in  State  convention.1!  and  plat¬ 
forms,  to  declare  that  the  General  Government  can  do  nothing  at  all — limiting,  as 
they  have  always  done,  the  powers  granted  by  the  Constitution  and  the  duty  of  Con¬ 
gress  thereunder. 

The  public  highways — natural,  common,  cr  scientific— are  the  arteries  of  a  naiicn. 
By  and  through  them  run  the  life-blood  of  communication  and  commerce.  They 
are  an  essential  condition  of  progress.  The  Republican  party  aided  the  earlier  steps 
of  our  continental  system  of  inter-communication  :  and  if  it  be  charged  that  it  was 
ungarded  in  granting  privileges  and  bestowing  subsidies,  it  may  fairly  point  in 
defense  tc  the  system  as  inaugurated  by  Stephen  A.  Douglass  and  bis  Democratic 
confreres,  and  since  sustained  by  Democratic  votes  in  National  and  Stale  legislation. 
To  Republican  statesmen  and  journals  must  be  first  attributed  a  systematic  agitation 
against  the  land  grant  system,  as  soon  as  it  became  evident  that  more  evil  than  good 
would  result  from  its  continuance.  Hon.  E.  B.  Washburne  was  among  the  very  first 
advocates  of  legislation  to  control  the  great  railroads  lor  the  public  weal  Gen.  Gar¬ 
field,  in  1866,  proposed  a  railroad  bureau.  Other  distinguished  Republicans  have  as 
clearly  indicated  that  these  questions  were  fair  ly  within  the  province  of  national 
legislation  to  consider  and  act  upon. 

As  early  as  January,  1876,  an  effort  was  made  to  regulate  this  important  matter 
by  appropriate  legislation.  Inthat  month  Gen.  J.  R.  Hawley  (Ref.)  of  Connecticut, 
offered  in  the  House  of  Representatives  a  resolution  to  suspend  ihe  mice  and  p.ss 
a  bill  to  provide  for  the  appointment  of  commissioners  to  collect  information  in 
relation  to  railroads  forming  lines  between  the  various  States. 

But  the  House  refused  to  suspend  the  rules,  two- thirds  being  required;  and  so  ibe 
measure  of  inquiry  was  signally  defeated  The  following  13  the  vote  of  the  .House 
apon  it,  Democrats  being  in  italics  and  liberals  in  small  capitals. 


V  I. ' .  vi..l i\i. 


TOTE  FOR  AND  AG  A  l  !•  S_T  UIlGOLAT  RAILROAD  FREIGHTS. 

Veas — Messrs.  Averill,  Barber.  Bur  y.  Bf  nc-u  J  6.  Blair,  Boi  es,  Buckley.  Bun¬ 
nell,  Burchard,  Bnrdett-  R.  B.  Butler,  v  .  \  .  <  obb.  Ccg  hi  an.  Cotton,  Da  rrall.  Dickey, 
Donnan,  Duell,  Dunneli,  Fames.  Esty,  Finkt-inburg,  W.  4>.  Foster.  Erye,  Garfield, 
Haldeman,  Barmer,  Havens,  J.  B.  Hawley.  R.  Hawley.  Hay.  Hays,  Gh  W.  Hazel - 
ton,  J.  W.  Hazel  ton,  G.  F.  Hoar.  Kendall,  Ivillitger,'  Lamport,  'McCormick ,  Mc¬ 
Crary,  McGrew,  McHenry,  McJunkin,  Merri.  in.  Mow  re.  Morey.  L.  Myers,  Orr, 
Packard, Packer, I.  C. Parker. Peck. Pendleton. Porter. E  H  Roberts, Shanks  Sheldon, 
Shellabarger,  L.  D.  Shoemaker.  H.  B.  Smith,  .J.  A.  Smith,  Sprague.  Starkweather, 
Stevenson,  Stoughton,  Stcwell,  W.  Townsend,  Tyner.  Waken  an  V  ;.i  ;--i,  Wheeler, 
Wkiteley,  Williams  of  Indiana,  J.  M.  Wilson,  and  J.  T.  W ilsoti — 75 


Nays — Messrs.  Acker,  Adams.  Archer,  Arthur,  E.  W .  Bed 


7  > 
/  » 


Beck 


.  JS. 

Bell,  Bingham.  Bird,  A.  Blair, Boatman,  Braxton,  Bright,  Buffi n tot  .  B  F.  Butler, 
R.  P.  Caldwell ,  Comingo,  Conger,  Conner ,  Cox .  Critchcr,  Grassland.  Buddy  Box, 
Du  Bose,  Duke,  El-dredge ,  »S.  Ely ,  Getz,  Giddings,  E.  Hale.  Hancock,  11-  niley . 
Banks,  Harper,  G.  E.  Harris../.  2’.  Harris,  Hereford  Hern  den,  Hibbard  diii.th  oper, 
Kerr .  King.  Lamison ,  Leach.  J.  H.  Lends ,  J.  Lynch,  Hanson .  Marshal!,  McChUaud . 
McIntyre ,  McKinney,  McNeely ,  Herrick,  B.  F.  Meyers.  Mitchell ,  AT  rryaw.  A.  /. 
MB  dark,  II.  E.  Hiblack ,  //.  Porker,  E.  Perry ,  Peters,  Poland.  Potter ,  Ramey. 
Pa  Ball)  Head,  E.  Y.Rice,  J.  M.  Rice ,  Ritchie,  W.  R.  Roberts.  J  C.  Robinson.  J 
Jlt  dgers.  S.  i/.  Iiodgcrs .  Sargent,  Sawyer,  Scofield,  //.  Sherwood,  Shober,  Slater. 
Sb»  ton,  Sloss,  R.  M.  Speer,  B.  II.  Stevens ,  Storm.  Swann,  rJ  affe.  Turner,  TuthiU. 
Fpton,  Fcm  Trump,  Voorhees ,  Waddell.  Warren,  C.  W.  Willard,  Winchester,  and 
iif.  //  Young — 98. 

Of  the  75  votes  in  favor  of  Mr.  Hawley's  motion  69  were  Republican,  and  only 
Democrats  and  ‘‘Liberals.’’  Of  the  98  votes  against  inquiry,  79  were  Democrats 
and  only  wine  Republicans,  showing  almost  a  solid  Republican  vote  on  the  side  of 
the  producers,  and  astill  more  solid  Democratic  vote  against  their  interests. 

Nothing  more  could-  be  done  to  protect  the  farmers  against  high  and  ruinous 
freights  during  that  session  of  Congress,  and  the  subject  rested  where  that  emphatic 
Democratic  vote  left  it  till  the  session  of  1873--4. 


AT  THE  RECENT  SESSION” 


. .  . _ j  _  _ important  report 

of  the  Senate’s  Select,  Committee  on  Transportation  Routes  to  the  Seaboard  is  a 
perfect  text,  so  far  as  the  law  and  its  interpretation  is  concerned.  One  of  its  most 
notable  chapters  discusses  the  decisions  made  at  difiereht  times  by  the  Supreme 
Court.  .  y 

From  these  decisions  (especially  the  latest — that  of  Philadelphia  and  Reading 
Railroad  vs.  Pennsylvania)  the  committee  argue  : 

1.  That  the  power  of  Congress  ever  inter-State  commerce  extends  to  the  land  as 

well  as  to  water.  #  . 

2.  That  transportation  by  rail  from  one  State  into  or  through  another  is  a  con¬ 
stituent  of  inter^  State  commerce  itself. 

8.  That  being  a  constituent  of  inter-State  commerce,  such  transportation  by  rail 
is  under  the  exclusive  control  of  Congress  by  virtue  of  the  power  to  regulate  com 
merce  among  the  States. 


VT  i.  I  tiJ-U  V  CU  v  *  vs/  - - - - -  7 i' - 7  - tf  '  i 

and  extent  of  the  operation  of  that  Congressional  power  by  which  commerce  is  to  be 


regulated. 


VOTE  OX  THE  1L  CHARY  BILL. 

On  the  20th  of  January,  1874,  Mr.  McCrary  (Rep.)  of  Iowa  reported  from  the 

Committee  on  Railways  and  Canals  a  bill  to  regulate  commerce  bv  tailr  ads  among 

the  several  States.  '1  his  bill  was  carefully  prepared,  and  seems  designed  to  remedy 
•>  -  -  *  •  *  *  *  *  * 


the  evils  of  which  the  producing  classes  so  loudly  corap. am. 


:  ur. 


\e  seen  Lv 


the  following  yeas  and  nays  upon  its  passage,  March  20th,  1874,  only  six  Democrats 
voted  for  it,  while  71  Democrats  and  two  Liberals  voted  against  it: 

DEMOCRATS  STILL  AGAINST  THE  FARMERS. 

Yeas — (Republicans) — Messrs.  Averill,  Barrere,  Barry,  Degole,  Bundy,  Burch* 
ard,  Burrows,  B.  F.  Butler,  Cain,  Cannon,  Cason,  A.  Clark,  Clayton,  Clements,  S. 
A.  Cobb,  Coburn.  Conger,  Corwin,  Cotton,  Crounse,  Crutchfield,  Curtis,  Danford, 
Darrall,  Dawes,  Donnan,  Dunnell,  Elliott.  Field,  Fort,  C.  Foster,  Freeman,  Frye, 
Garfield,  Gunekel,  Hagans,  E.  Bale,  Havens,  J.  B.  Hawley,  Hays,  G.  W.  Hazel  ton, 
.J.  W.  Hazelton,  G.  F.  Hoar,  Hodges,  Hoskins.  Howe,  Hubbell,  Hunter,  ITurlbut, 
Hyde,  Hynes,  Kasson,  Lamport,  Lawrence,  B.  Lewis,  Loughridge,  Lowe,  J.  R. 
Lynch,  Martin,  McCrary,  A.  S.  McDill,  J.  W.  McDill,  MacDougall,  McKee.  Mc- 
Nulta,  Monroe,  Nunn,  Orr;  Grth,  Packard,  Page.  I.  C.  Parker,  Pelham,  Philips, 
Poland,  Pratt,  Purman,  Rainey,  Pansier.  Papier,  Ray,  Richmond,  E.  H.  Roberts, 
J.  W.  Robinson,  Ross,  Rusk,  Sawyer.  H.  B.  Saylor,  Scofield.  Sessions.  Shanks, 
Sheats,  Sheldon,  I.  R.  Sherwood,  L.  1-).  Shoemaker,  Smart,  II.  B.  Smith,  J.  Q. 
Smith,  W.  A.  Smith,  Snyder,  Sprague,  Starkweather,  Strait,  Taylor,  Thornburgh, 
Todd,  Tyner,  Wallace,  Walls,  Whiteley,  C.  G.  Williams,  Williams  of  Indi¬ 
ana  W.  B.  Williams,  J.  Wilson,  J.  M.  Wilson,  and  Woodworth — (Democrats) — 
Messrs.  Holman,  Kendall,  Robbins,  and  Wolf,  Luttrell — (independent.) — 12i. 

Nays — (Republicans) Messrs.  .Albert,  Banning ,  Barber,  Bass,  Biery,  Bradley, 
berp.Buffinton,  Cessna, Crooke,Eames, Gooch,  Harmer,  13.  W.  Harris, Harrison,  J.  R. 
Hawley,  E.  R.  Hoar,  Hooper  Houghton,  Kelley,  Kellogg,  Lansing,  Lawson, 
Lowndes,  Merriam,  W.  S.  Moore,  L.  Myers,  Negley,  Niles,  O'Neill,  Parsons,  Pend¬ 
leton,  Phelps,  Pike,  H.  J.  Scudder,  I.  W.  Scudder,  Sener,  A.  H.  Smith,  W.  Town¬ 
send,  Tremain,  Waldron,  J.  D.  Ward,  M.  L.  Ward,  Wheeler,  Whitkhousf.,  C.  Wil¬ 
lard,  G.  Willard — ( Democrats ) — Messrs.  Adams,  Archer,  Arthur,  Ashe.  At¬ 
kins,  Barnum,  J.  B.  Beck,  H.  P.  Bell,  Berry,  Bland,  Blount,  Bowen,  Bright,  Buck¬ 
ner,  J.  H.  Caldwell,  J.  B.  Clark,  Clymer,  Comingo,  Cook,  Cox,  Crossland,  I)eWitt? 
Durham, Eldredge,Giddings;Glover, Hamilton,  Hancock,  H.  R.  Harris,  J.  T.  Harris, 
Hatcher,  Hereford,  Herndon,  Huntoon,  Jewett,  Knapp,  Lamar,  Magee,  Marshall, 
Milhken,  Mills,  Mitchell,  Neal,  Nesmith,  W.  E.  Niblack,  O’Brien,  H.  W.  Parker, 
E.  Perry,  Potter,  Randall,  Read,  W.  R.  Roberts,  J.  C.  Robinson.  M.  Sayler,  Sloss, 
Southard,  Speer,  Standelord,  Stone,  Storm,  Vance,  Whitehead,  Whitthorne,  Willie, 
E.  K.  Wilson,  Wood,  J.  D.  Young.  P.  M.  B.  Young — 115. 

Liberals  in  itali-cs. 

The  bill  did  not  pass  the  Seriate,  not  having  been  reported  for  action  because  the 
Windom  committee  desired  first  to  test  the  sense  of  that  body  on  their  water-routes 
improvement  plan  by  the  voting  of  an  appropriation  to  defray  the  cost  of  preliminary 
surveys.  It  remains  on  the  docket  to  be  considered  next  winter,  as  does  also  the 
motion  of  Senator  Morton  to  appoint  a  commission  of  experts  to  make  a  thorough 
examination  of  the  railroad  system  of  the  country,  and  report  fully  thereoD.  espe¬ 
cially  as  to  its  relations  to  the  Government. 

THE  POSTAL  CAR  CONTROVERSY  AND  THE  LAW  THEREON. 

Besides  the  positive  declarations  thus  affirmed,  and  to  a  large  degree  accepted, 
must'be  added  the  special  report  of  SenaKir  Mitchell,  as  a  sub-committee  of  the  Win- 
dom  eommitlee,  to  whom  was  referred  the  matter  of  postal  cars  and  the  proposed 
refusal  of  certain  railroads  to  furnish  and  transport  them  except  on  other  terms  of 
compensation  than  those  now  allowed.  This  report  takes  the  broadest  grounds  as  to 
the  power,  duty,  and  rights  of  the  Government,  affirming  that  it  has  the  right  to  take 
possession  of  railroads  for  postal  purposes,  and  run  trains  over  them,  paying  due 
compensation.  Of  course  it  can  compel,  according  to  this  logic,  the  several  cor¬ 
porations  to  transport  the  postal  trains  or  cars  over  their  several  roads.  These  steps 
seem  to  indicate  distinctly  the  views  of  the  Republican  majority  in  Congress. 

RAILROAD  LEGISLATION  ALREADY  ACCOMPLISHED. 

Besides  the  declaratory  action  above  stated,  Congress,  under  the  control  of  tho 
Republican  party,  past  and  present,  has  passed  several  specific  acts  of  control  and 


6 


regulation,  some  of  which  are  of  general  import,  while  the  others  are  significant, 
but  relate  more  distinctly  to  the  Pacific  railroad  system. 


THE  GENERAL  ACTS  AFFECTING  RAILROADS 


are  as  follows:  The  act  of  July  15,  1866,  passed  at  the  instance  of  the 
railroads  themselves,  which  authorized  companies  chartered  by  the 
States  to  carry  passengers,  freights,  &c,  over  any  road  connecting  the  several 
States,  aad  to  allow  them  to  connect  so  as  to  form  continuous  lines  of  transportation. 
What  has  been  done  can  in  some  degree,  subject  to  vested  righis  that  have  grown  up 
thereby,  be  undone,  or  at  least  controlled.  Another  measure,  directly  affirming  the  . 
power  of  Congress,  is  that  known  as  the  ‘‘cattle  law,'1  passed  in  1872- 73,  by  which  j 
regulations  are  made  for  more  humane  treatment  of  cattle  in  transitu.  J 

The  acts  passed  at  the  recent  session,  affecting  in  the  main  the  land-grant  rail¬ 
roads.  are : 

1.  An  act  protecting  the  rights  of  settlers  on  such  public  lands  as  are  included 
within  an./  railroad  grants-  Disputes  have  constantly  occurred,  generally 
ending  lo  the  disadvantage  of  the  settler  who  may  have  occupied  a  homestead  in 
good  faith,  supposing  it  to  be  public  land, and  afterward  found  a  railroad  claiming  it. 
Hereafter  the  latter  must  leave  the  settler  alone,  and  receive  other  land  in  lieu  of  his 
quarter  section. 

Another  act  requires  the  land-grant  railroads  to  take  out  patents  for  such  lands  as 
have  been  transferred  to  them  in  pursuance  of  their  grants.  About  thirty-four  mil¬ 
lion  acres  out  of  the  two  hundred  and  twenty-five  million  acres  granted  have  been 
so  transferred,  and  are  to  all  intents  and  purposes  corporate  and  private  property, 
justly  liable  to  taxation  by  the  States  or  Territories  in  which  they  are  situated,  a 
taxation  that,  has  been  evaded  so  far  by  a  systematic  avoidance  of  perfecting  the 
titles,  so  that  the  larger  part  of  this  area  is  still  regarded  at  law  as  public  lands, 
free  from  local  taxation. 

The  next  step  is  an  act  by  which  one-half  or  more  of  the  cost  of  Government  trans¬ 
portation  over  land-grant  railroads  is  to  be  retained  by  the  Treasury.  In  several 
cases  it  is  expressly  provided  by  the  terms  of  the  grant  that  such  transportation  is  to 
be  free  ;  in  most  of  the  others  one-half  is  stipulated,  and  in  a  few  instances  the 
intent  of  the  law  is  disputed.  The  companies  are  allowed  their  remedy  in  the 
courts. 

These  remedial  measures  are  supplemented  by  another  in  relation  to  the  Pacific 
railroads,  which  declares  the  Union,  the  Central,  and  their  leading  subsidized 
branches  to  be  finished,  and  thereby  requires  the  five  per  cent,  sinking  fund  to  be 
formed  from  the  net  earnings  of  the  roads. 

This  recapitulation  of  acts  done  must  be  increased  by  the  actor  resolution  of  the 
Forty-Second  Congress  requiring  the  Treasury  to  retain  the  whole  ot  the  Government 
transportation  accounts  held  by  these  Pacific  railroad  corporations  in  payment  of 
their  unliquidated  interest  account. 

SUSTAINED  BY  THE  SUPREME  COURT. 


That  the  Republican  party,  in  moving  forward  on  this  general  line,  is  but  inter¬ 
preting  the  Constitution  in  the  spirit  oi  its  framers  and  the  general  purpose  of  that 
instrument,  is  quite  evident  from  the  fact  that  the  Supreme  Court,  in  an  unbroken 
line  of  decisions  relating  to  commerce,  its  character,  and  the  constitutional  power  of 
control,  has  deliberately  affirmed  that  ‘Transportation”  is  a  part  thereof,  coining  within 
the  purview  of  Congress  whenever  it  assumes  an  intef-State  character.  Marshall 
declared  commerce  to  be  “a  unit,  every  part  of  which  is  indicated  by  the  term 


buyer  to  gam  the  freight.”  Justice  Story  declared  commerce  was  not  limited  by 
admiralty  law — that  it  was  not  ‘  confined  to  acts  none  on  the  water,  as  has  been 
argued  by  some.  Taney  declared  the  “Constitution  makes  no  distinction”  as  to 
commerce  on  land  or  water.  In  the  recent  tonnage  tax  case-- that  of  the  ‘‘Phila¬ 
delphia  and  Reading  Railroad  vs.  Pennsylvania,”  Mr.  Justice  Strong  said:  “Itejond 


i 


7 


all  question  the  transportation  of  freight,  or  of  the  subjects  of  commerce,  for  the  pur¬ 
pose  of  exchange  or  6ale,  is  a  constituent  of  commerce  itself- * r  Mr.  Justice  Miller, 
in  the  Clinton  Bridge  case,  also  places  himself  on  the  side  of  the  power  of  Congress 
to  regulate  railroads  when  forming  the  means  of  commercial  intercourse  between  the 
States.  The  Republican  party  in  Congress  is,  therefore,  acting  in  accord  with  set¬ 
tled  docrines  of  judicial  interpretation  ;  while  the  Democrats  have  nothing  to  offer 
as  a  policy,  but  an  arraignment  of  the  old  States  rights’  theories,  their  opposition 
votes  in  Congress,  and  glittering,  but  contradictory,  resolutions,  like  the  following, 
passed  by  the  recent  Illinois  Democratic  State  Convention  : 

“ Fourth.  The  right  and  duty  of  the  State  to  protect  its  citizens  from  extortion  and 
unjust  discrimination  by  chartered  monopolies. 

“Fifth.  Rigid  restriction  of  the  Governments,  both  $tate  and  National,  to  the 
legitimate  domain  of  political  power,  by  excluding  therefrom  all  executive  and  legis¬ 
lative  intermeddling  with  the  affairs  of  society,  whereby  monopob’Qs  are  fostered, 
privileged  classes  aggrandized,  and  individual  freedom  unnecessarily  and  oppres¬ 
sively  restrained.” 

HOLDING  KAILEODS  TO  THEIR  OBLIGATIONS. 

• 

Charges  have  frequently  been  made  that  law’s  are  unduly  construed  in  favor  of  the 
land  grant  railroads,  where  their  interests  were  concerned.  When  sifted,  these 
charges,  if  they  possessed  a  basis  in  truth,  resolve  themselves  into  two  points;  First , 
a  compelled  adherence  to  the  accepted  rules  of  legal  interpretation,  which  may 
sometimes  woik  a  seeming  inequity  in  special  cases,  certainly  not  designed  or  fore¬ 
seen  when  the  law  wras  passed,  but  from  which  officers  construing  them  on  legal 
principles,  laid  down  in  the  authorities  and  long  accepted  by  courts  and  expounders, 
cannot  possibly  escape.  Second ,  decisions  in  the  General  Land  Office,  made  by 
such  chronic  Democratic  interpreters  and  officials  as  the  former  Commissioner,  the 
late  Joseph  S,  Wilson,  who  notoriously  favored  great  land  monopolies,  whether  in 
the  form  of  railroad  or  Mexican  land  grants-  The  Attorney  General  has  recently 
overruled  the  most  flagrant  of  Mr.  Wilson’s  land  grant  decisions,  and  has  decided 
that  the  General  Land  Office  must  construe  the  law  relating  to  the  forfeiture  of  land 
grants  to  railroads  by  the  plain  intent  of  Congress,  and  not  by  the  common  law,  as 
heretofore  has  been  the  case.  Under  the  terms  of  the  several  grants  ten  years  are 
given  in  which  to  construct  the  roads.  If  this  requirement  is  not  met  the  land  re¬ 
verts  to  the  public  domain.  In  most  cases  the  words  of  the  graatare  not  mandatory 
as  to  the  land  officers.  The  ruling  heretofore  has  been  to  the  effect  that  Congress 
must  legislate  in  each  case,  and  by  distinct  enactment  return  the  land  to  the  domain. 
Under  that  of  the  Attorney  General,  the  law  will  be  fulfilled  without  remanding  the 
matter  back  to  the  legislative  arena,  there  to  be  the  subject  of  discussion  and  bar¬ 
gain-  The  following  railroads  and  grants  are  affected  by  this  opinion:  Jacksonville, 
Pensacola  and  Mobile,  160  miles,  uncompleted  ;  600,000  acres  reverted.  Pensacola 
and  Louisville,  43  miles;  165,000 acres,  Alabama  and  Florida,  150  miles,  304,000 
acres.  Coosa  and  Tennessee,  35  miles;  67.784  acres.  Mobile  and  Girard,  140 
miles;  300,000  acres.  North  Louisiana  and  Texas,  90  miles;  250,0  0  acres.  St. 
Croix  and  Lake  Superior,  220  miles;  1,180,000  acres.  Jackson,  Lansing  and  Sagi¬ 
naw,  50  miles;  150,000  acres.  Total,  888  miles  ;  8,106,784  acres. 

THE  REPUBLICAN  PARTY  AND  THE  WORKINGMAN. 

If  the  entire  policy  of^tke  Republican  party  had  been  shaped  with  sole  reference 
to  the  interests  of  the  workingmen  of  the  nation ,  it  would  hardly  have  differed  from 
what  it  has  uniformly  been  since  it  came  into  power  in  1861 .  For  nearly  half  a  cen- 
tuiy  previous  to  that  time,  with  one  or  two  brief  intervals,  the  Government  of  the 
nation  had  been  in  the  hands  of  the  slaveholding  Democracy,  and  controlled  by  the 
principle  that 

11 Cajiital  Should,  Own  Labor  l" 

Every  act  of  legislation  for  that  long,  dark,  dreary  period  was  designed  to  count 
out  free ,  and  to  extend  and  strengthen  slave ,  labor.  The  people  were  nothing,  slavery 
was  everything, 

The  very  first  act  of  the  Republican  party  upon  coming  into  power  was  to  repudiate 


\ 


8 


u;il  l!i  •ii've  and  degrading  policy,  ar>d  practically  to  declare  that  the  Government 
was  of  the  people  and  for  the  people* 

Jn  accordance  with  this  theory,  the  first  act  of  a  Republican  Congress  was  to  pass 
a  law  giving  to  every  head  of  a  family,  who  would  settle  upon  it,  a  homestead  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  the  public  domain. 

HOW  THE  PEOPLE  ARE  ANNUALLY  TAXED  TO  PAY  THE  COST  OF  THE  DEMOCRATIC 

REBELLION. 

i  he  annual  expenses  of  the  Government  lor  all  purposes  have  averaged  for  three 
years  past,  in  round  numbers,  $290,000,000.  Of  this  sum  over  $157,000,000  yearly 
has  been  to  meet  the  expenses  arising  directly  from  the  late  Democratic  rebellion  in 
the  interest  of  slavery. 

Ihe  following  table  exhibits  in  detail  the  items  which  make  up  tbje  amount,  of 
this  Democratic  pro-slavery  legacy  to  the  American  people  for  the  Dscai  year  ending 
June  30,  1873  : 

ANNUAL  COST  PAST  DEMOCRATIC  RULE. 


Joint  Select,  Committee  on  Alleged  Outrages  in  Southern  States . 

investigations  in  relation  to  elections  in  Louisiana  and  Arkansas...” . 

Payment  of  judgments  Court  of  Claims . 

.  Southern  Claims  Commission . 

Tribunal  of  arbitration  at  Geneva . .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  W  W  ". 

Expenses  of  national  currency . . . . 

Expenses  of  national  loan . . . .a”!!.".”.*”.".!.*.*.”” 

Refunding  national  debt . ! ............... '. '. 

Cost  ol  assessing  and  collecting  internal  revenue,  including  payments  of 

drawbacks  and  amounts  illegally  collected . 

Deluding  claims  for  cotton  seized . 

Salaries  of  direct  tax  commissioners . . . 

Expenses  of  collecting  direct  tax  in  Delaware . . . 

Repayment  for  lands  sold  tor  direct  taxes . . . . 

Return  of  proceds  of  captured  and  abandoned  property . 

Collection  of  captured  and  abandoned  property,  records  ol  evidence  respect' 

ing  same . 

Refunding  internal  tuxes  illegally  collected . 

Refunding  proceeds  of  cotton  seized  . 

Premium  on  bonds  purchased  in  currency . 

Payment  of  interest  on  the  public  debt . 

Bounties . . . 

Keeping,  transporting,  and  supplying  prisoners  of  war . 

Military  telegraph  . . 

National  cemeteries . 

Maintenance  <>t  steam-rams . 


Gun-boats  on  western  rivers . 

Providing  for  comfort  of  sick  and  discharged  soldiers . 

Payment  of  stop  pages  or  fines  due  National  Asylum  for  Disabled  Volunteer 

Soldiers  . 

’..'raveling  expenses  of  California  and  Nevada  Volunteers . 

Traveling  expenses  of  First  Michigan  Cavalry . 

Commutation  of  rations  to  prisoners  of  war  in  rebel  States? . 

Draft  and  substitute  fund . 

Appliances  of  disabled  soldiers . . . 

Transportation  of  insane  volunteer  soldiers.  • . 

Support  ol  Freed  men’s  liospitai  and  Asylum,  Washington,  I).  C . 

Support  of  Bureau  of  Refugees,  Freeumen,  and  Abandoned  Lands, 

(regular) .  . 

Support  of  Bureau  of  Refugees  Freeumen,  and  Abandoned  Lands 

(transfer) . . . . 

Horses  and  other  property  lost  m  the  military  service . 

Reimbursing  State  of  Kansas  lor  military  expenses.  . 

Reimbursing  State  of  Kentucky  for  mi  n  ary  expenses.-. . 

Refunding  to  States  expenses  incurred  in  raising  volunteers  . 

Defraying  expenses  of  minute-men  and  volunteers  in  Pennsylvania,  Mary¬ 
land,  Ohio  Indiana,  and  Kentucky . 7 — . 

Supplying  arms  and  munitions  of  war  >o  loyal  citizens  in  revolted 


States . . 

Capture  of  Jefferson  Davis . . . . 

Claim  of  loyal  citizens  for  supplies  furnished  (luring  the  rebellion . 

Bounty  for  destruction  of  enemy’s  vessels . . 

Payment  to  captors  of  the  rebel  ram,  Albemarle . . . 

Payment  to  officers  and  crew  of  the  United  States  steamer  Kearsarge. 

Pensions* . . . . - - - 

Relief  acts,  (various) . . . $ . ;  .i _ _ _ _ 

•  •.f  i  K* 


lotal 


$1,087  20 
20,000  00 
489,034  7e 
62,800  04 
62,210  22 
181,664  84 
2,806,863  04 
64  726  83 

6,667,039  49 
62  05 
640  55 
22  46 
9, <‘75  00 
1,960,679  20 

84,459  60 
1,507  4-1 
3,282  00 
5,105,919  99 
104,750,688  44 
465,049  14 
258,080  11 
17  220  3(5 
431,219  22 
14,648  93 
33,498  28 
1,306  79 

193,750  69 
28,000  00 
5  ifl  00 
2,0G(f  00 
42,792  84 
8,000  00 
1,000  00 
72,000  00 

93,9/4  79 

12,871  S  * 
S9  975  85 
336  S17  37 
625,253  72 
758,110  31 

28,762  32 

916  38 
2  061  GO- 
927  .910  19 
133, S02  28 
202,912  90 
141,37?  00 
29,359,426  S6 
797,748  78 


*157,262,416  SI 


*A  small  portion  of  this  amount  is  lor  pensions  to  soldiers  of  the  war  of  1812.  . 


9 


\ 


Deducting  this  suni  from  ibe  whole  expense  of  the  Government  for  the  yet r 
named  will  reduce  the  amount  to  less  than  $133,000,060,  which,  reduced  to  the 
standard  of  gold,  would  leave  less  than  $120,000,000  as  the  present  cost  of  the  Gov¬ 
ernment,  including  all  expenditures  for  public  woiks,  had  the  Democracy  spared  the 
nation  the  bloody  rebellion  into  which  they  so  ruthlessly  plunged  it! 

GRADUAL  ANNUAL  DECREASE  OF  TAXES  AND  GOVERNMENT  EXPENSES  BY  THE  REPUB¬ 
LICANS. 

The  following  official  table  exhibits  in  parallel  columns  the  annual  receipts  arid 
expenditures  of  the  Government  from  1806  to  1873  inclusive  : 


Receipts  and  Experuliturts  vf  Hit  Government. 


For  the  fiscal  your  aiming— 

95  i 

•— 1 

W  W 

v  S  © 

«  C  P. 

to 

Receipts  ex¬ 
clusive  of 
loans. 

June  So,  1866. . 

Page. 

2 

$558,032,620  06 
490,634,010  27 
405  63S.083  32 

June  39,  li 63 . 

S3, 34 

June  SO,  186R.  . 

24,25 

20 

June  30,  1869 . 

370,943,747  93 
411,255,477  32 
383,323,944  81 

Juno  30,  1670 . 

3 

June  SO.  1871 . 

5 

June  30,  1872 . 

i> 

374.106  967  66 

J une  3p,  '1873 . 

4,5 

333,738,204  67 

i 

Expenditu  res 
exclusive  of 
principal  o'. 
public  debt. 


$520,750,940  46 
346,729,129  S3 
377,340,284  bo 
321,490/97  76 
309,6.53,560  76 
2.92,177,168  26 
277,617 ,962  <17 
290,345,245  33 


From  this  table  it  will  be  seen  that,  in  every  year,  save  one,  since  the  war,  the 
revenues  have  been  decreased  by  the  reduction  of  taxes ;  and  in  every  year,  save 
two,  the  expenditures  have  decreased. 

Two  forces  have  been  constantly  at  work;  the  one  reducing  expenditures,  the  other 
repealing  taxes.  And  yet,  by  the  aid  of  one  and  in  spite  of  the  other,  a  handsome 
surplus  lias  been  maintained  in  each  of  these  years.  By  comparing  the  two  columns 
given  in  the  table,  it  will  be  seen  that,  notwithstanding  the  diminution  of  taxes,  the 
surplus  increased,  until  in  1870,  it  reached  $100,000,000.  Keeping  in  view  the 
column  of  receipts  into  t  he  Treasury,  let  us  call  to  mind  the  various  acts  and  amounts 
by  which  the  burdens  of  taxation  have  been  removed.  The  echoes  of  the  last  battle 
had  hardly  died  away  when  Congress  began  the  grateful  work  of  reducing  taxation. 

By  the  act  of  July  13,  1866,  customs  duties  were  repealed  to  the  amount,  to .  $65,000,000 

By  the  act  of  March  2,  1867,  customs  duties  were  further  reduced  by  the 

s-urn  of .  .  40,000,000 

By  t  he  acts  of  February,  March,  and  July,  1S68,  customs  duties  wevp  still  further 

reduced  by  the  sum  of . . .• .  CS, ooo, ooo 

By  the  act  of  July  14,  1870,  the  reduction  was  : 

On  customs . .  $55,000,060 

On  internal  revenue . .  29,626,410 

-  84,526,410 

By  the  qcts  of  May  1,  and  Jane  6, 1872,  the  reduction  as  stated  by  the 
Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Ways  and  Means,  was,  for  eleven  months 


of  last  year: 

On  customs . . . .  $44,365,364 

On  internal  revenue . .  17,696,466 

!  '  -  62,06c, 820 


Making  a  total  reduction,  since  the  close  of  the  fiscal  year  I860,  of . $319.527,230 


REPUBLICAN  RETRENCHMENT  IN  THE  INTERNAL  REVENUE  BUREAU. 

The  following  comparative  statement  of  the  number  of  persons  employed  by  the 
■ "  •<  .  Internal  Revenue  Bureau,  December  1,  1866,  and  December  1,  1873, — the  same 

•  '  period  as  covered  by  the  expenses  of  the  General  Government  in  tbe  foregoing 


% 


10 


table — will  show  that  retrenchment  and  economy  are  carried  into  aLi  the  branches  of 
the  Government : 


Collectors . 

Deputy  collectors . 

Assessors . , . 

Assistant  assessors,  at  $5  per  diem . 

Tobacco  inspectors,  paid  by  fees . 

Revenue  inspectors,  at  $4  per  diem . 

Inspectors  of  coal-oil,  paid  by  fees . 

Inspectors  of  distilled  spirits,  paid  by  fees . 

General  inspectors  of  distilleries,  paid  by  fees. 

Special  agents . 

Revenue  agents. . 

Store-keepers,  from  $4  to  $5  per  diem . 

Gaugers,  fees . 

Surveyors  of  distilleries . 

Supervisors . 

Commissioner,  $6,00o  per  annum . . 

Deputy  commissioners . 

Solicitor,  .*4,000 . 

Heads  of  divisions,  at  $2,5o0  per  annum . 

Fourth-class  clerks,  at  *1.800 . 

Third-class  clerks,  at  $1,600 . . 

Secoud-ciass  clerks,  at  $1,400 . 

First-class  clerks,  at  $l,20o . . 

Copyists,  at  *900 . 

Messengers,  at  $1,000 . 

Messengers,  at  $840 . . 

.Laborers,  at  $720 . 

Laborers,  at  $300- . 

Grand  total . 


December 
1,  1866. 

December 
1, 1873. 

241 

225 

1,850 

882 

241 

8,318 

None. 

748 

19 

178 

None. 

106 

None. 

1,309 

None. 

393 

None. 

10 

None. 

12 

25 

942 

987 

150 

10 

1 

1 

2 

3 

1 

None. 

3 

7 

23 

33 

39 

47 

42 

4.5 

15 

35 

51 

84 

4 

1 

3 

S 

9 

27 

2 

8,599 

3,533 

t 


Here  is  a  reduction  in  this  one  Bureau  alone  of  5,066  Government  employees,  and 
a  saving  of  not  far  from  one  million  dollars  annually  in  salaries  since  the  close  of 
President  Johnson’s  administration. 


GREAT  REDUCTION  IN  THE  APPROPRIATIONS  FOR  THE  YEARS  1874  AND  1875  BY  LAST 

CONGRESS. 

The  following  table  exhibits  the  appropriations  made  by  the  sessions  of  Congress 
of  1873-'4,  and  also  at  the  last  sessions  for  1874-’5. 


Twelve  regular  appropriation  bills  for  the  fiscal  years  1S74  and  1975. 


Title  of  bill. 


Navy . 

Army . 

Fortification . 

Legislative,  executive, 

judicial . 

Indian . 

Military  Academy . 

Deficiencies . 

Post  office . 

Consular  and  diplomatic. . 

Pension . 

Sundry  civil . . 

River  and  harbor . 

Total  decrease . 


For  fiscal  y’r 
ending  June 
30,  1874. 

For  fiscal  y’r 
ending  June 
30,  1875. 

Increase. 

Decrease. 

$22  276  257  65 

$16  818.964  20 

• 

$5  457,311  45 

31,796.008  SI 

27,788,500  00 

'  4.007,503  SI 

i, SOS, 000  00 

904,000  00 

995,000  00 

23,753,633  86 

20.613, 8S0  80 

3,139,753  06 

5,541,418  90 

5.656.171  00 

$114,752  10. 

344,317  56 

339, S3 -3  00 

4,482  56 

12,978,418  60 

4,033,914  26 

S, 894, 504  34 

5.396,602  00 

5,497,842  00 

00 

1.311.359  00 

,405,404  00 

2,114,045  00 

30,480.000  00 

29.980,000  00 

500,000  00 

32  186, i 29  09 

26,895.545  25 

5.290,583  84 

6, 102,900  00 

5,218,000  0b 

884,900  00 

26,863,006  96 

♦ 


A  glance  at  this  comparative  table  will  show  what  redactions  in  appropriations 
have  been  made.  It  will  be  seen  that  these  amount  to  uearly  $5,500,000  in  tha 
Navy,  and  are  little  more  than  $4,000,000  for  the  Army. 

The  reduction  in  the  appropriations  for  fortifications  ie  nearly  $1,000,000,  and  i<n 
the  legislative  appropriations  more  than  $8,000,000. 

TWENTY-SIX  MILLION'  EIGHT  HUNDRED  ANI)  HIXTY-TIIREB  THOUSAND  DOLLARS  WORTH  O? 

TAXES  SAVED? 

The  gross  decrease  in  appropriations  at  the  late  session  over  the  previous  one  is 
the  large  snm  of  $26,863,000. 

This  is  the  fruit  of  the  rigid  system  of  economy  and  the  real  reform  of  a  Repub¬ 
lican  Congress  and  a  Republican  administration,  and  is  an  overwhelming  argument 
why  the  people  should  still  retain  the  Republican  party  in  power. 

FREE  'I  RAPE  AND  DIRECT  TAXATION. 

The  Democratic  party  are  gradually  abandoning  their  half  way  free-trade  policy  of 
a  ‘‘Revenue  Tariff,”  and  beginning  boldly  to  avow  the  doctrine  of  absolute,  uncon¬ 
ditional  free  trade,  involving  the  abolition  of  all  custom-houses  and  revenue  officers, 
and  the  collection  of  all  the  expenses  of  the  Government  by  a  direct  tax  on  the 
people.  The  Democratic  party  of  Maine  led  off  in  favor  of  this  disastrous  policy. 
At  their  State  convention,  held  June  23,  1874,  the  following  bold  avowal  of  their 
views  on  this  question  was  unanimously  adopted  : 

‘'Resolved,  That  a  protective  tariff  is  a  most  unjust,  unequal,  oppressive,  and 
wasteful  mode  of  raising  the  public  revenue;  it  is  one  of  the  most  frequent  and 
fruitful  sources  of  corruption  of  administration;  we,  therefore,  the  Democracy  of 
Maine,  in  convention  assembled,  declare  for  Free  Trade  and  in  favor  of  unfettered 
and  unrestricted  commerce." 

To  render  still  more  emphatic  this  declaration  in  favor  of  absolute  free  trade,  the 
convention  nominated,  as  their  candidate  for  Governor  Mr.  Titcomb,  who  had 
thoroughly  committed  himself  to  this  anti- American  iniquity. 

The  Democratic  party  of  the  great  State  of  Illinois  speedily  took  up  the  cry  of 
unconditional  free  trade.  At  a  meeting  of  the  State  Central  Committee  of  the  party, 
held  July  29th  last,  they  adopted  a  series  of  resolutions  since  accepted  by  their 
State  convention  as  the  basis  of  action,  the  call  being  extended  only  to  those  who 
endorsed  them.  The  second  proposition  of  the  series  was  a  declaration  in  favor  of 

“free  commerce.” 

This  is  only  another  term  for  free  trade,  pure  and  simple,  only  it  is  less  honestly 
expressed  than  in  the  platforn*  of  the  Maine  Democracy.  It  expresses  the  real 
sentiment  of  the  party  everywhere  out  of  Pennsylvania.  But  they  have  not  the  cour¬ 
age  everywhere  to  own  it  so  openly,  but  cover  up  their  real  design  under  the  unmean¬ 
ing  phrase  of  “Revenue  Reform,”  or  “a  Tariff  for  Revenue.” 

\Vhen  this  policy  shall  be  adopted  the  farmers,  manufacturers,  mechanics,  pro¬ 
fessional  men,  working  men,  and  working  women  of  the  country  must  be  prepared 
to  pay  by 

A  DIRECT  TAX  IN  GOLD 

the  two  hundred  millions  of  dollars  now  paid  by  importers  of  foreign  merchandise, 
thus  changing  the  burden  from  the  shoulders  of  the  capitalists  who  are  willing  to  pay 
it  for  the  privilege  of  selling  their  products  in  our  markets.  Are  the  people  ready 
for  this?  If  they  are,  let  them  vote  the  Democratic  ticket. 

REPUDIATION  STILL  A  DEMOCRATIC  PRINCIPLE. 

Though  the  Belmont  Democracy  adhere  to  the  pledge  of  the  Govern¬ 
ment  to  pay  our  indebtedness  in  gold  when  “so  denominated  in  the  bond,”  the 
mass  of  the  Democratic  party,  led  eff  by  Niblack  ot  Indiana  and  Pendleton  of 
Ohio,  acknowledged  leaders  of  the  National  Democracy.,  boldly  preach  the  infa- 


12 


mous  doctrine  of  repudiation.  The  Indiana  Democracy  are  especially  shameless  in 
their  advocacy  of  this  villainous  policy. 

Their  State  convention  was  held  in  July  and  among  the  planks  in  their  plai- 
■jiorm  were  the  two  following,  boldly  avowing  themselves  in  favor  of  repudiating  our 
obligations,  and  trampling  under  foot  the  pledged  faith  of  the  nation  : 

ki Resolved,  1.  That  we  are  in  favor  of  the  redemption  of  5-20  bonds  in  greenbacks 
according  to  the  law  under  which  they  were  issued. 

“2.  We  are  in  favor  of  a  repeal  of  the  law  of  March,  1869,  which  assumed  to  con¬ 
strue  the  law  so  as  to  make  such  bonds  payable  exclusively  in  gold.” 

This  is  unadulterated  Democracy,  and  repudiation  is  the  ignominy  the  nation 
must  suffer  as  the  penalty  of  a  Democratic  administration.  Ohio,  under  the  lead  of 
George  H.  Pendleton,  is  equally  committed  to  the  doctrine  of  repudiation,  and  it  is 
only  kept,  from  their  national  platform  by  the  fear  that  the  whole  party  is  not  yet 
ripe  for  it.  It  is  only  a  question  of  time. 

PAYMENT  BY  THE  REPUBLICANS  ON  THE  DEMOCRATIC  WAR  DEBT. 

The  war  into  which  the  Democratic  party  plunged  the  nation  in  order  to  extend 
and  perpetuate  slavery  and  to  erect  a  government  on  the  ruins  of  the  Union  of 
which  slavery  was  to  be  the  corner  stone,  cost  the  nation  over  four  thousand  millions 
of  dollars,  besides  the  cost  to  the  several  free  States. 

We  only  have  an  official  record  at  hand  of  $3,877,934,589  as  the  price  of  this 
treason  of  the  Democratic  party.  This  will  do  "or  a  basis  to  a  calculation  of  the 
amount  the  Republican  party  has  paid  of  this  enormous  debt,  and  its  annual  tax 
upon  the  people.  The  statement  will  stand  thus : 


Cost  of  the  Democratic  rebellion . $3,377,934,58$ 

Amount  of  the  public  debt  August!,  1874 . . .  2, 141, 806, 975* 

Amount  paid  of  the  cost . ! . $1,236,127,614 

Besides  this  vast  sum  paid  toward  reducing  the  debt,  the  people 
have  paid  annnally  for  interest,  pensions,  &c.,  caused  by  the  war, 
an  average  of  $175,000,000,  making  a  total  in  nine  years.... . $  1,575, 000, 000* 

Total  of  principal  and  interest . $2,811,127,614 


Almost  three  thousand  millions  of  dollars  the  people  have  already  paid,  being 
more  than  seventy  dollars  each  to  every  man,  woman,  and  child,  black  and  white, 
as  th«  price  of  Democratic  treason  to  the  Government!  And  they  still  owe  more 
than  $2,100,000,000,  with  interest  till  paid,  of  at  least  $104,000,000  yearly. 

The  national  debt,  as  officially  announced  by  Secretary  McCulloch,  was,  Septem- 

oer  1,  1865,  immediately  after  the  close  of  the  war . .  $2,757,689,571 

August  1,  1874,  it  was . - . .. . : . .  2,!41,806,976 

Paiaffiy  Republicans  m  nine  years .  $615,882,596 

Between  the  beginning  of  the  war  and  its  close  the  Government  had 
paid  of  this  cost . . .  $620,681,162’ 


Making  of  principal  as  above . . . ....;$!, 236, 563, 758 

When  President  Grant  entered  upon  his  official  duties  the  public  debt 

was . . . $2,453,559,735 

August  1,  1874,  it  was . . . . .  2,141,806,975 

Amount  of  debt  p$id  under  General  Grant............... .  .  $311,752,760 

COMPARATIVE  COST  OF  GOVERNMENT  BY  PRESIDENTIAL.  TERMS. 

The  following  table,  giving  the  expenditures  of  the  Government,  estimated  pop«» 
lation,  and  expenditures  to  each  person,  by  various  administrative  periods  of  four 
years  from  the  organization  of  the  Government  to  the  30th  of  J  une,  1873,  will  enable 
the  reader  at  a  glance  to  make  a  comparison  between  the  cost  to  the  people  of  Demo- 


cratic  and  Republican  rule,  aad  aldo  the  price  they  have  bad  to  pay  for  the  Demo¬ 
cratic  rebellion  : 


Dates. 

% 

E  x  pend  1 1  u  res  o  f 
the  United  States 
Government. 

1 

Estimated 
population 
at  middle  of 
period. 

Average 
annul  ex • 
pendltun* 
per  capita. 

From  January  1,  1791,  to  December  31,  179-’, 
two  years . . 

*’1,367,322,39 
23,245,003  .15 

8.5  722,003  71 

4.102.500 

4.464.500 
5.068,000 

38.5 
1  29.6 

Four  years  ended  December  31,  1796 . 

Four  years  ended  December  31,  i8oo . 

1  66.4 

Four  years  ended  December  31,  1S04 . 

33,96Q, 946  28 

5.7 '6.000 

1  47  8 

FY-ur  years  ended  December  ail  1S08 . 

35,879.090  91 

6,503.000 

1  37.8 

Four  years  ended  December  3i,  1812 . 

47,214,312  11 
130,542,794  72 
79,807,659  17 
65,830.317  70 
65,429,085  77 
62,852.928  30 

7  346,440 
8,250,060 
9,256.000 
10,378,000 
11,643,000 
13, (43,510 

1  64.1 

Four  vears  ended  December  31,  1S16 . 

3  95.6 

Four  yeais  ended  December  Cl,  P'io . 

2  15.5 

Four  "ears  ended  December  31,  1624 . 

l  58.6 

Four  years  ended  December  31,  jS>8 . 

Four  vears  ended  December  31,  133'/.. 

1  40.5 
1  20.5 

Four  vears  ended  December  31,  336 . 

90,086.099  61 
122,319,929  61 

108,834.416  15 
173,382.131  80 

I4,579j5o0 

1  54  4 

Four  years  ended  December  31,  134'.' . 

16,348,000 

IS, 55 1.000 
21,143,000 
23,995,000 

21 ,256,000 
30,596,000 
33,365,000 
36,211,000 

|>  39,672,000 

1  87.0 

From  January  1,  1841,  to  June  3o,  1843,  four 
and  a  half  years . 

1  30.3 

Four  '.‘ears  ended  June  3<>,  1349 . 

2*05.0 

i-  uni'  vears  ended  June  30,  8/>3 

181,494,378  23 
254, 503, 60S  13 
273,401,624  42 

rs9,i 
2  33.4 

Vnnr  years  ended  .Tune  30,  1S:")7  . 

Foui  years  ended  .June  3o,  1861 . 

2  23.4 

Four  >  car's  ended  June  Go,  1 66:") . 

3,350,090,808  35 
1,576,829,070  67 

5  1,169,693,957  00 

25  90.2 

Four  years  ended  June  30,  i860 . 

10  88.6 

Four  vears  ended  .Tune  30.  1373  . 

<  7  37.1 

l  311,125.633  S3’- 

l  1  9*3.0 

*  Expenditures  ui  the  four  ytais  etui  eel  30th  June,  1*73,  less  !|.S58,56 1,323.12,  expenses 
proving  out  of  the  war. 


i  tv. ' 


table  exhibits  the  fact  that  in  1861.  the  expenditure  per  capita  averaged 
i  ‘2o.4  ;  and  that  iu  I860,  when  the  war  closed,  it  had  reached  the  enormous 
average  of  S’J-3,10.2  to  each  individual  in  the  Union,  showing  an  increase  of  nearly 
S-'-l. ‘JO  per  capita,  but  the  present  economical  Administration  has  again  reduced  the 
pe  •  capita  average  to  $1.96,  deducting  the  expenses  which  belong  to  the  late  war  and 
its  incidents. 


DEMOC K ATIC  ECONOM  Y. 

Hut  as  au  example  of  modern  Democratic  statesmanship,  the  following  is  sub¬ 
mitted.  premising  that  no  deductions  are  to  be  made  for  war  expenses,  that  the  ©m- 
1  -i y  is  simply  the  cost  of  civil  government,  and  that  the  result  follows  a  period  of  un- 
!>t  pee  i  Democratic sv'prerr'ocy  in  the  municipal  administration  in 

NEW  VO  EX  CITY. 

We  Lave  not  included  in  the  expenditures  any  of  the  money  which  has  been  paid 
from  the  City  and  County  J  reasuries  and  Sinking  Funds  in  redemption  of  bonds. 
During  the  jear  some  fifty-five  millions  in  bonds  were  sold,  and  some  thirty-one 
miliious  paid  off,  so  that  the  debt  has  been  increasing.  The  resources  from  which 
the  City  made  the  payments  of  fifty  iniilious  summarized  below  were  derived  from 
taxes,  noud3,  assessments,  and  miscellaneous  sources,  in  round  numbers  as  follows: 


From  taxes . $27,000,000 

From  sales  of  bonds . 14,000,000 

From  miscellaneous  receipts .  5,000,000 

From  assessments .  4,000,000 


Total . $50,000;000 


The  conclusion  which  we  derived  from  Mr.  Green's  report  is  this  :  that  while  the 
present  scale  of  expenditure  continues,  sound  financial  policy  and  a  decent  regard 
for  the  ultimate  solvency  of  the  municipal  government  both  demand  that  not  less 
than  forty  million  dollars  be  raised  annually  by  taxation. 


14 


EXPENDITURES  OF  THE  CITY  OF  NEW  YORK  FROM  AUGUST  1,  1873,  TO  AUGUST 

1,  1874. 

State  taxes . / . $11,296,982  66 

Interest  paid . . . .  7,345,833  45 

Legislative  Department .  331,080  51 

The  Mayoralty .  41,459  99 

i  Finance  Department .  373,137  61 

Department  of  Taxes  and  Assessments .  133,548  41 

Law  Department . . .  162,901  01 

Department  of  Public  Works .  2,160,447  65 

Department  of  Parks .  531,539  41 

Department  of  Buildings .  110,217  80 

Department  of  Charities  and  Correction .  1,329,695  81 

Health  Department .  218,732  91 

Police  and  street-cleaning .  4,339,867  59 

Fire  Department .  1,302,233  92 

Public  instruction .  3,345,105  14 

College  of  the  City  of  New  York . . . 173,439  43 

Advertising,  printing,  and  stationery .  134,133  78 

Salaries  of  the  judiciary .  1,219,265  19 

Asylums  and  charitable  institutions .  670,601  44 

Armories  and  drill-rooms . 96,371  92 

Fourth-avenue  improvement . ? .  962.187  01 

Coroners’  fees .  83,138  17 

Election  expenses .  149,970  94 

Judgments . 21,187  40 

Bureau  of  Municipal  Correction .  28,693  44 

Rents..... . 88,581  29 

Sundry  miscellaneous  purposes . ; .  438,360  79 

^Opening  and  improving  streets,  &c .  3,676,498  43 

^Brooklyn  bridge .  352,000  00 

'* Building  docks .  1,133,748  48 

’Croton  water  works .  1,778,097  98 

^Improvement  of  the  Parks .  827.972  18 

*Museum  of  Art .  38,6:33  74 

‘-‘'Museum  of  Natural  History . 316,052  66 

^Street  improvements .  4,316,802  28 

’‘Public  school  buildings .  106,350  34 

■’‘County  Court-house . 7,000  09 

^Repairing  sewers  . ..L . .  61,379  16 

'* Improvement  of  lower  reservoir . 21,824  90 

'"‘Arrearages  of  1871  and  1872 .  35,189  50 

'^Special  donations  from  Excise  Fund .  63,000  00 

Commissioners  of  Excise .  42,708  65 

’‘For  payment  of  judgments. . 460,167  77 


Total .  . . . ..$50,024,141  54 

*Funds  derived  from  sales  of  bonds. 

Fifty  million  dollars  of  expenditure  for  1,000,000  of  people  per  annum  ^or  civil 
government  alone,  or  $50  per  capita. 

Forty  million  dollars  annual  direct  taxation  required  to  enable  Democrats  to  gov¬ 
ern  one  million  of  people. 

Apply  this  ratio  to  the  nation — 40,000,000  of  people  at  $50  per  capita — $500,- 
000,o00  per  annum  for  civil  government,  and  no  pensions  paid  and  neither  the  Army 
nor  Navy  provided  lor. 

Four  hundred  million  dollars  of  direct  annual  taxation,  following  the  suggestion 
•f  the  Democrats  of  Maine,  to  support  Democratic  civil  government. 

Who  desires  to  try  the  experiment ! 


REPUBLICAN  OFFICIAL  INTEGRITY. 


fa  looking  over  the  new  platforms  of  Democratic  State  conventions  the  cntic  will 
be  surprised  to  find  in  each  of  them  the  same  old  charge  of  official  defalcations  under 
Republican  Administrations.  After  investigations  were  demanded  and  granted  on 
the  charges  made  against  the  War  arid  Navy  Departments  with  the  most  satisfactory 
results,  and  after  thorough  examination  of  the  books,  records,  printing  bureau,  and 
money  vaults  of  the  United  .States  Treasury  and  sub-treasuries  without  discovering 
the  loss  of  a  dollar  that  had  not  already  been  officially  reported  and  published  to  the 
world,  die  “ancient’ ’  Democracy  must  be  hard  pushed  to  find  charges  against  the 
party  in  power  before  they  would  renew  the  exploded  theme  of  official  defalcations 
and  malfeasance.  These  e  nmrvtees  of  investigation  were  appointed  by  Congress, 
and  were  composed  of  Democra'ic  and  Republican  members,  who  were  afforded 
every  possible  facility  in  the  prosecution  of  their  investigations.  On  the  committee 
investigating  the  Treasury  Department  were  two  prominent  bankers,  who  were  sup¬ 
posed  to  lean  strongly  toward  the  Democratic  side  of  the  House.  Yet  they  found 
not  even  a  minor  *  irregularity’ '  that  LvI  not  already  been  reported,  and  the  defaulters 
arrested,  tried,  convicted,  and  punished. 

.An  official  report  of  losses  to  the  Government  by  defalcations  of  officials  was  made 
by  Mr.  Richardson,  late  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  assisted  by  the  Commissioners  of 
Internal  Revenue  and  Customs,  the  Comptroller  of  the  Currency,  and  the  United 
.States  Treasurer,  each  basing  his  report  on  the  records  and  books  of  his  bureau. 
The  result  is  as  follows  : 


INTERNAL  REVENUE  COLLECTIONS. 

From  the  statement  of  the  Commissioner  of  Internal  Revenue,  comparing  total 
receipts  of  the  office  lor  the  three  years  from  March  3,  1869,  to  March  8,  187k,  with 
the  portion  of  the  receipts  that  had  not  then  been  paid  into  the  Treasury,  as  per 
schedule  furnished,  it  appeared  that  the  cash  balances  outstanding  against  Late  col¬ 
lectors  of  internal  revenue  during  that  period  amounted  to  somewhat  less  than  one 
tenth  of  one  per  cent,  of  the  amount  paid  into  the  Treasury.  The  Commissioner 
added,  and  the  books  of  the  office  show  that  hi.s  statement  has  been  very  nearly 
verified,  that  ‘  of  the  latter  amount  it  is  estimated  that  not  less  than  four  fifths  will 
eventually  be  paid  either  by  the  parties  themselves  or  by  their  sureties,  reducing  the 
ultimate  loss  to  the  Government,  daring  the  period  mentioned,  to  less  than  one 
fiftieth  of  one  percent.,  or  less  than  two  dollars  in  ten  thousand  dollars. 

THE  CUSTOMS. 


According  to  the  statement  from  the  books  and  records  of  the  Commissioner  of 
Customs,  showing  the  amount  of  money  collected  from  customs  for  the  period  o  1  two 
years  anerthree-fourths  of  a  year,  from  the  1st  of  April,  1869,  to  the  3lat  of  Decem¬ 
ber,  1871,  compared  with  the  balances  outstanding  against  officers  engaged  in  the 
collection  of  customs  during  the  period  mentioned,  the  latter'is  about  one-fifty-fifth 
part  of  one  per  cent,  of  the  former.  The  estimated  ultimate  loss  to  the  Government 
was  one  two-hundredth  part  of  one  per  cent.,  or  less  than  five  dollars  in  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars. 


SECURITY  OF  THE  NATIONAL  BANKS. 

The  Comptroller  oi  the  Currency  furnished  a  schedule  of  all  the  national  banks 
that  had  failed  during  the  three  years  from  June  1.  1869,  to  June  1.  1872,  with  their 
capital,  the  amount  of  claims  proved,  and  the  dividends  paid  on  the  claims;  from 
which  it  appears  that  the  estimated  average  annual  losses  of  these  years  were  from 
twenty-one  thousand  seven  hundred  dollars  to  forty  thousand  one  hundred  dolars,  of 
which  the  mean  is  thirty  thousand  nine  hundred  dollars.  This,  based  ou  a  constant 
average  amount  of  deposits  of  $574,300,000,  shows  the  ratio  of  annual  loss  to  credi¬ 
tors  to  be  the  one  oue  hundred  and  eighty-sixth  part  of  cue  per  cent  of  sue fi  de¬ 
posits,  equivalent  to  five  dollars  and  three  eigths  of  a  della”  in  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars. 


16 


THE  TRASU&ER’S  BUREAU. 

The  United  States  Treasurer,  General  Spinner,  furnishes  a  statement  shotting  the 
total  a  mount  of  money  entries  as  they  appear  on  the  books  in  his  office,  covennga 
period  of  eleven  and  one-half  years,  from  June  30,  1861.  to  January  9,  1-872,  to  he 
$55, 104, 232,282  84.  The  loss  during  these  eleven  years  was  $56,057  45,  or  less 
than  one  dollar  to  each  million  of  dollars  that  passed  throgh  the  hands  of  the 
Treasurer  and  his  subordinates. 

PUBLIC  AND  PRIVATE  BUSINESS. 

These  statements  will  be  accepted,  we  think,  by  all  reasonable  minds  as  conclusive 
eu  the  subject  of  defalcations.  Since  the  dates  included  in  each  division  of  the 
report  no  defalcation  has  occurred,  to  the  amount  of  a  dollar  in  the  United  States 
Treasury  :  and  none  in  the  Bureaus  of  the  Commissioner  of  Internal  Revenue,  or  of 
the  Collector  of  Customs  of  any  importance.  Irregularities  in  the  receipts  and  some 
few  losses  have  grown  out  of  the  paralysis  in  business  following  the  panic  of  Sep¬ 
tember  last :  but  these  will,  in  nearly  every  case,  be  made  good.  The  very  fact  that 
the  internal  revenue  receipts  for  the  last  fiscal  year  exceeded  the  estimates  of  the 
Commissioner  by  about  ten  million  dollars  goes  far  to  establish  the  integrity  and 
fidelity  of  all  connected  with  that  department  of  the  Government. 

Compared  with  transactions  in  private  business  these  results  show  fewer  losses  than 
are  met  with  in  the  best  regulated  and  most  cautious  corporate  bodies  engaged  in 
railroad,  manufacturing,  or  other  enterprises,  or  among  business  firms  who  scrupu¬ 
lously  superintend  their  own  mercantile  affairs. 

Altogether  the  six  and  a  half  years  of  peace  and  Republican  Administration  that  have 
already  passed  into  history  have  carried  with  them  a  record  of  official  integrity  which 
may  well  command  the  admiration  of  the  forty-two  millions  of  people  who  mainly 
famish  the  annual  revenues. 


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